


Between the Static and the Noise

by FigmentOfReality



Category: Kingdom Hearts, Subarashiki Kono Sekai | The World Ends With You
Genre: Brotherly Bonding, Gen, selective mining of the remind dlc, violence inherent in a Reaper Game
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:29:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24523135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FigmentOfReality/pseuds/FigmentOfReality
Summary: They say that once you hit rock bottom, there is nowhere left to go but up. Sora can't tell if he's there just yet, but strange world? No way out but by winning a game? With a partner that he's sure hates him? He figures that's close enough.Looks like it's going to be a long seven daysBoth for him, and the friends he left behind
Relationships: Kairi/Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Sora & Vanitas (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	1. Day 1

Coming-to was anticlimactic all things considered. First came a gust of wind that rose with a whistle and petered out soon after. Then came the feeling of a hard, damp surface beneath him, his clothes soaking in water and sticking to his stomach making him cringe. His eyes slowly opened, and beheld a blurry vision of yellow light and what could only be asphalt. Taking a breath he didn’t feel, Sora pushed himself up, slow and steady as his head spun, his sight coming into focus on a large city surrounding him on all sides. 

The first place that came to mind was SanFransokyo, but he could tell that wasn’t where he was. That city had been spacious and spread out, its night lights in various shades of white and blue. Outside the large intersection he stood in, everything was pressed in close and compact and towering above him. The street lamps spread a bright golden light, reflecting off the rain puddles spotting the road and carrying snatches of neon lights in its wake. It would’ve been reassuring, had it not been for one fact. 

The city was completely deserted. 

Deserted and quiet, not a single other human in sight no matter which way he looked. Confusion started to swell into fear just as a familiar, jaunty tune sliced through the silence. Sora flinched in surprise before reaching for his back pocket. Pulling out the gummi phone, he tapped at the flashing envelope symbol on the screen before he could even wonder how he even still had the thing in the first place. 

The ringtone cut off, and a short, simple message filled the screen in its place. 

“Make your way to the 104 building. Time limit is 60 minutes. Fail and face erasure.” 

Soon as he finished reading the message, a sharp, bristling pain stabbed his right hand, leaving behind a feverish warmth on his palm. He passed the phone to his other hand, revealing a bright red timer. 

A timer that started counting down from sixty. 

_You have seven days._

__The sentence echoed in his head with a distinct finality. Snatches of the vaguely remembered conversation it came from followed after, painting a fuzzy picture of the reason he was there: A game to be won with life as the prize._ _

__Eyes wide with remembrance, Sora whipped his head around, scanning frantically for anything that looked like it could be the building the message was talking about. Spotting a nearby skyscraper with glowing neon 104 lettering, he sprinted off, phone going back to his pocket and right hand curling tight around the blinking timer. Each stride forward chipped away at the fear with determination till halfway across the intersection he felt both in equal measure. Just before he made it to the road leading to his goal, a loud, distant scream brought him skidding to a halt._ _

__He didn’t have to strain to listen; another scream followed the first, abruptly cut short like a record scratch and echoed by the faint sounds of battle. Cold dread began pumping in his veins as he looked the direction from whence they came: a side street leading in the opposite direction of the 104. It was no question what he did next. Turning around he raced towards the sounds of danger, hopping whoever was caught in it could hold on till he made it._ _

__The road didn’t stretch as far as expected, and right near the end of it sat a large statue of a dog. Surrounding it on all sides were people. Panicking, scared, cornered people hounded by monsters. Sora pushed harder, his keyblade flashing to life in his hand and ready to swing when he saw it: a boy about half his age swiped hard across his chest, knocked to the ground in a flash of static and white noise. The white noise cleared, the boy was gone, and it all happened in the span of a few seconds. Sora’s breath stuck in his throat, his eyes went even wider, and he jumped the rest of the distance and swung with all his might at the still standing monster._ _

__His keyblade went clean though it, leaving not so much as a scratch._ _

__The creature attacked him next._ _

__He raised a block, the attack and assailant bounced off the keyblades shaft hard enough to push him down to one knee, and only then did he actually get a good look at what he was facing. Not a heartless like he had first assumed, not a nobody, and no sign of an unversed insignia. In fact, no insignia what so ever. It looked like a frog, green skin and all, but its legs were made of lines of color, almost like swatches of paint, and extended much farther than should be allowed. It jumped him again, he blocked, shot to his feet and swung again. And again. And again. Each phasing through, each growing increasingly more frantic. Nothing was working! What was he missing?_ _

____You must make a pact with a partner at the start of the game. No one wins the game alone._ _ __

___The memory snapped into place with an almost audible crack(it couldn’t be another person falling. It couldn’t. It wasn’t). Rolling away from the monsters he scanned around for any one still standing, and found only two: a boy and a girl backed up against the dog statue, surrounded on all sides. Just as he opened his mouth to call out to them, a cold blue light enveloped them both. One moment they stood frozen within it, and the next they were gone, the light taking them with it when it vanished without a trace._ _ _

___Now Sora stood alone. With no other victims to focus on, the remaining frog monsters crowded around, their croaking rising with his panic. Two attacked at once, and all he could do was dodge roll away and pass through a third that attacked him next. Its powerful springing kick pushed him down into the asphalt and forced the air out of his lungs. The croaking grew louder, more kicks landed hard on his sprawled limbs that he quickly pulled close, and in a voice of sheer desperation, forced down a breath and cried out, “Someone! Anyone! Please make a pact with me!”_ _ _

___Silence followed his plea; even the croaking had abruptly cut off. Sora felt some scrambling, grasping, cold-to-the-touch thing reach into him, and a part of himself just as grasping reached back. They connected, melded, and the same blue light that had taken the boy and girl blasted down on him from above, blowing back the frog monsters, chilling him from his skin to his bones, and freezing the fledgling bond into something solid, binding and taut. Through all this, Sora squeezed his eyes shut and clamped both hands over his ears in a vain attempt to block out the piercing wind. When everything stopped and left his ears ringing, he opened his eyes and forced himself to stand, swaying a bit as he reeled from what had just happened. A fresh round of croaking reminded him there was no time to rest, and he turned to face the recovered frog monsters._ _ _

___They wasted no time in advancing, the closest one jumping to attack. He swung his blade in a flash of instinct, while fully expecting it to once again pass through the enemy. To his relieved surprise, it connected in a real, solid thwack that sent the frog flying back to hit the dog statue with a pained croak and flailing paint-stripe limbs. He would’ve questioned his luck had he the time; instead he tightened his grip on his keyblade, and went straight on the offensive riding a new wave of confidence._ _ _

___Running forward, he knocked two frogs to the side with two quick strikes, savoring the tangible hits that he felt up his arm to his shoulder. A third came up from the left and was just as simply batted away before he aimed a strong, overhead swing at the frog by the statue. It shattered on impact in a burst of static before it could even get back on its feet. Sora spun to face the others without missing a beat, charging the closest with a determined glare. Four hits later and it too was destroyed, leaving only two frogs left to deal with._ _ _

___Or rather, only one to deal with. No sooner had Sora raised his blade towards the remaining frogs than one suddenly turned to static in a burst of orange flame, its companion jumping clear of the lingering licks of fire. He blinked a moment at the sudden help, but decided to dwell on it after the last frog was dealt with. Like the one before it, it fell to four solid hits and vanished with a staticky croak._ _ _

___The blue light from before rushed him again once the last monster fell, leaving Sora blinking spots from his eyes and wondering at what just happened. He could hurt the monsters now. Did that mean he had a pact? But how? And with who? Had someone heard him after all?_ _ _

___He scanned the empty street around him for any clue. All he found was a lone figure standing with their back to the road in the shadows of a dark storefront. Sora started towards them, keeping an eye out for more monsters and wrestling with a strange familiarity that only grew the closer he got and the more features he could pick out from the dark. Stiff posture, bowed head, a clenched fist at their side. It was only when he was a few feet away and he saw better the persons hair and clothes that everything clicked and his eyes widened in recognition._ _ _

* * *

_____  
_

He had his own body back. That should’ve made him happy. 

His own arms to fight with, his own legs to run with, no longer living as a passive shadow pinned down to the heels of someone else. All good things, things that should’ve made him happy(or as close to the emotion as he could get). 

But it didn’t. Couldn’t. Not now, maybe never. 

What good was having a body when IT was gone? 

It had always been there, from the moment of his birth onward. And now It was gone! He had called, reached, grasped at empty air and still It wouldn’t come! 

Had It abandoned him? Could they do that? It hadn’t before no matter what he did, so why now? Why when he didn’t know where to go or what to do? Why did It leave him when he needed it most? 

Slowly he looked down, quick breaths burning cold in the back of his throat, at the pitiful replacements he balanced in the palm of his hand. 

There were five of them, round, flat and made of a cheap flimsy metal. Only one, the red one painted with a bright orange flame, had worked for him in the last fight. It spat out a trail of fire, killed one single monster with it, and abruptly stopped and grew cold. It was pathetic. More than pathetic! He could do so much more if he only…if he… 

He growled down at the little disks, fighting back the urge to clench his fist and crush them into scrap metal. Just who thought they could take what was his and replace it with these? He’d find them, make them pay. Shove the disks and their mocking bright colors down their throat before making them give back- 

“Vanitas?” 

Vanitas jumped at the sudden voice, spun around with a snarl and raised his dominant hand for combat, ignoring the empty feeling as it curled around the disks. He only stayed his hand out of confused recognition when he saw who had snuck up on him. 

“Sora? What are you doing here?” 

Sora dropped into a familiar battle-ready stance, tensing up as he met Vanitas’ glare, and yet didn’t draw his keyblade. Was he being brave? Stupid? Vanitas couldn’t tell; either explanation would fit his brother. Unless…could he just not? Were they both afflicted the same? Sora didn’t look scared enough for that, and neither was there anger in those large blue eyes. Still he frowned when he answered Vanitas’ demand, wariness lining every word, “I made a pact with someone. Was it you?” 

Vanitas rolled his eyes, “I just asked what you were doing here. How can I make a pact with you if I didn’t even know you were here?” 

Blue eyes flicked around, “You can’t hurt the monsters here without one. I tried, and all my attacks just went through them. I called out for someone to make a pact with me and I…connected with something? I think? Something cold. Did you feel anything like that?” 

Vanitas had, and was trying to forget it. How he heard a familiar voice over the noise of a battle going south with monsters he should’ve been able to easily crush. How he dismissed it as hearing things, yet part of him reached towards the cry as another attack failed to connect. Something warm and flailing latched on in response, he was blasted with blue light, and suddenly the monsters could be hit, for all the good that did him. 

“I felt something,” Vanitas responded aloud, “and I can hit the monsters. That answer your question?” 

All at once, Sora’s tension bled away and he straightened up, “Yeah. Guess this makes us partners.” 

He extended his hand towards him, and Vanitas promptly smacked it aside with a look of disgust, “Partners? In what? And why would you think I would ever partner with you?” 

“Because without being partners we can’t win the game.” 

“What Game?” 

“The one we are playing right now,” Sora held up the hand Vanitas had knocked aside, displaying a blinking red timer reading forty-five, his voice growing agitated “You have one of these, right? That means you're a player like me.” 

Glaring deeper, Vanitas clenched the hand holding the disks, just enough to feel them press against the feverish warmth coming from the numbers on his palm, “And why are we stuck in this empty city playing a stupid game! What did you do?” 

“Does it really matter right now,” Sora snapped, curling his branded hand into a fist, “If we don’t finish the mission we get erased, and I don’t want to wait around and find out what that means, do you?!” The fist came to rest over his heart, “Besides, weren’t you the one who said you stood by my side?” 

Vanitas wanted to refuse, say no out of spite and walk off, let the other boy deal with this mess himself. But…Sora was right about one thing: he hadn’t been able to hit anything until after that so-called pact had formed. What good would it be to hunt down the thief who stole from him if he couldn’t even punch their teeth in when he found them? He slowly dropped his arm, but kept his glare, 

“What do you have to do to keep from being 'erased?’” 

“There’s a building with a giant 104 on it. I think that’s where we are supposed to go.” 

“And where is it?” 

Sora then turned and pointed, “Down that road, you can see it from the-hey! Wait!” 

Vanitas grabbed Sora’s pointing hand and started to run, ignoring the protests and stumbling steps at his heels. His eyes scanned every passing building for any hint of “104”. Only when the road broadened into a large open area from which other roads sprawled did he catch sight of the glowing numbers high up a towering building to the north. Without missing a beat or stopping to breath, and not giving Sora any time for it either, he spun towards the glowing landmark and kept running. 

Then, out of nowhere, something light as air but solid as a rock smacked Vanitas right between the eyes, knocking both him and Sora down flat, making him let go of the other boy’s hand. Blinking the stars from his eyes, Vanitas jumped to his feet with a fresh snarl, glaring at the empty space in front of him. He punched at it, hard as he could. A ripple of light spread out from where he had hit. A quick flurry of hits later and both fists tingled with pain from the impacts with not a crack in the barrier to show for it. Angry frustration built up with every hit till he whipped around with an angry “What?” at Sora calling his name. Standing and apparently unaffected by the outburst, Sora pointed to the right, “I think we need to talk to him.” 

Vanitas spotted the “him” in question. An adult sized human, standing stock still and silent as the dead, wearing blue pants and a bright red hoodie that only showed the bottom half of his face. Vanitas stormed over, ready to get in the strangers face and demand he lower the barrier when the figure cut him off. 

“You want past this wall? Defeat three Noise in this area.” 

Anger was joined by confusion as Vanitas snapped back, “Noise? How am I supposed to defeat noise? What, do I- “ 

“He’s talking about monsters, like the ones we just fought,” Sora interrupted, coming up on his left. 

Vanitas turned his glare on him, “And how do YOU know that?” 

Sora crossed his arms with a thoughtful look, “Before I woke up here, I remember a…voice I guess? It told me that’s what the monsters were called.” 

“A voice told you. And you believed it.” 

“Not like I have anything else to go on. And everything I remember it saying has been right so far.” 

“Ok then, if you know everything, then where are the so-called ‘noise?’ Cause I sure don’t see any!” 

Sora glanced around, looked upwards, then suddenly blinked and reached down to one of his pockets, pulling out one of those stupid little disks, a black one with some strange white symbol, “We use this.” 

“To do what? Attract them? It must be broken, cause I still don’t see any monsters.” 

Sora didn’t respond, instead clutching the disk over his heart and closing his eyes. For a few awkward moments he did nothing else, and Vanitas was about ready to snap at him again when the return of the blasted blue light hit him out of nowhere. 

And once again he was alone. No figure in red, no Sora, and a duo of croaks sounding at his back. Turning around he spotted the two expected frog monsters and one unexpected wolf. A wolf striped with blue and staring him down with furious red eyes. 

It charged, three long strides and it leapt with a wide-open mouth filled with fangs. Vanitas dodged, the monsters jaws snapping shut on open air inches from his ear as he backtracked, clutching at the disks and trying to feel out the flame one as the wolf charged again. The disk warmed in his hand, he started to levitate, and the wolf barreled into him claws first before he could conjure a single flame. Knocked down and away, skidding on his back, Vanitas scrambled back up, ignoring the pain in his back and chest. As the wolf came round for yet another charge he pulled back and punched it square in the snout with his left, empty hand. It reared back at the hit, came back with an angry howl and chomped down hard on his arm, charging off again, dragging its prey across the open road. 

Back and forth the monster ran, the dragging only broken by sudden stops too short for Vanitas to get to his feet or attempt to use his disks. All he could do was kick haphazardly at the wolfs lean body, his free hand unable to act without crushing the disks. Each bump and burn and useless attack fueled his fury, burning bright and hot. He’d fought worse before! Why couldn’t he get loose!? He had made unversed bigger than- 

Wait…Unversed! Of Course! He would’ve smacked himself had not the next sudden stop did it for him. In the brief pause of the wolf’s charge, Vanitas let out the angry yell he had been holding back, and felt the familiar swelling, squirming matter beneath his skin shoot to the surface and leach away from him like a glob of hot glue. Smirking at the familiar sound of a forming unversed, he gave the order: attack! 

A blue blur shot into view, catching the wolf in the muzzle and knocking it open. Retrieving his arm Vanitas leapt out of range before the monster could start charging again. Then he saw what unversed he had spawned. 

Not one of his bigger monsters, not something useful that his rage should’ve formed, but a flood. Just one flood. Twitching and alert, but only one step up from useless. His rage flared even hotter, an act that would’ve instantly produced more unversed. Instead, the matter beneath his skin rammed into something hard and steadfast, like a hand pressing down on his back, while he could’ve sworn he heard a laughing voice in his head. 

_No cheating._

__He punched at the wolf with an angry yell, the flood attacking with him, both connecting at once. The wolf staggered back, and the flood again went for its eyes. It wasn’t down, but inconvenienced, and Vanitas took the chance. Focusing back on the fire pin he levitated, felt the fire manifest and shot it towards the wolf. Both it and the flood were caught in the blaze, and Vanitas gritted his teeth through the burning he felt from the twitching blue creature. Just as the flame sputtered out, the wolf collapsed with a scratchy buzz of sound. The only things left in the street were himself and the scorched flood shaking off its lingering burns. A flash of blue light and it was over; Sora and the figure in red were back, the former rubbing his eyes before walking back over to the latter._ _

__“We got three like you said.”_ _

__“…Objective met. Wall clear.”_ _

__And just like that, a ripple of light went up from the empty space where the wall had stood. Vanitas wasted no time in storming past the now-gone road block, snagging Sora by the wrist as he passed, ignoring the startled yelp and the fruitless tugs on his grip._ _

__The building was not as far away as it had first looked. In no time, both boys stood outside its glass doors, and the burning on Vanitas’ hand was gone. Letting go of Sora, he transferred the pins to his left hand. Sure enough, the numbers were gone too. He smirked, “Been nice catching up, but I’ve got some business to take care of. See you around, brother.”_ _

__“Vanitas wait,” Sora called after him as he started walking away, “You can’t just leave!”_ _

__“Give me one good reason why I can’t.”_ _

__“The game isn’t over yet. We still have six more days.”_ _

__Vanitas stopped, let the words sink in, then spun to face Sora with a fresh glare, “You said we just had to reach this stupid tower!”_ _

__“That was todays mission,” Sora reached into another pocket and pulled out a weird red rectangular device, “The voice told me there are seven days, with one mission each. So, since we beat todays, we’ve got six left.”_ _

__“Why didn’t you say that sooner!”_ _

__“You didn’t give me the ch-Vanitas! Behind you!”_ _

__Startled, Vanitas jumped, saw what Sora had seen, and promptly rolled his eyes at the flood standing at his feet, “That’s mine idiot. It won’t attack me.”_ _

__“Yours?”_ _

__“Yes. Mine,” he growled, looking back at Sora over his shoulder, “I make the unversed. Weren’t you-”_ _

__It was Vanitas’ turn to stop short, as his eyes zeroed in on Sora. More specifically, what he now held in his hands. The weird device was gone, and a silver keyblade with a golden handle had taken its place._ _

__He stormed over, seeing red and little else as he got in Soras face with a snarl, “You have your keyblade?”_ _

__To his credit, Sora didn’t back down, confused as he looked, “Yes?”_ _

__“You’ve had it this whole time?”_ _

__“What else would I fight with?”_ _

__“These stupid disks,” Vanitas said, shoving his meager collection under Sora’s nose, “I’m not carrying them around cause I like the pretty pictures!”_ _

__Sora blinked, backing up a bit from the hand in his face, and reached with one hand into another one of his pockets, bringing back some little disks of his own._ _

__“Huh. So that’s what these are for. Come to think of it, the voice did say something about them at least once.”_ _

__Vanitas lashed out, grabbed Sora by his jacket collar and pulling him close, “Why!? Why do you have your keyblade?”_ _

__“I don’t know,” Sora pushed back, making him let go, “Why wouldn’t I have it?”_ _

__“Because I don’t!”_ _

__There. It was out, “You really think I would’ve summoned that pathetic flood if I still had it? Why was mine taken and not yours!?”_ _

__Sora’s eyes went wide, from the outburst or the news Vanitas couldn’t tell or care. Glancing down in thought, his keyblade vanished as he crossed his arms, “…You think it might be your entry fee?”_ _

__“My what?”_ _

__“The voice said that to play the game, every player has something taken from them as an entry fee. It must have taken your keyblade.”_ _

__“Then why didn’t it take yours? What was your stupid entry fee if not that?”_ _

__Sora frowned, his pause stretching on almost too long before he spoke again, “I…I don’t remember. Nothing feels different, at least I don’t think it does. But don’t worry Vanitas,” he said, looking back up, “We just have to win the game, and then we’ll both get our fees back.”_ _

__Vanitas could only scoff, “You’d better not slow me down. I’m getting my keyblade back, with or without your dead weight.”_ _

* * *

__  
_ _

Up atop a distant skyscraper, two figures watched the streets below. One sat on the buildings edge, feet dangling and black wings laying limp against his back as he calmly looked down on the world below with mild interest. Behind him his partner paced, almost stomping as she passed behind him, and he could swear he heard some muffled cursing. At last, when the stomping paused, he turned and saw her glaring out at the world around them with hands on her hips and black wings stiff and fanned out. 

“You know, all that seething can’t be good for your heart.” 

“No interference. NO Interference! Why the hell do they even keep us around if they won’t let us do our jobs! It’s the Long Game all over again!” 

“A bit early to be sayin’ that isn’t it?” He raised one knee as an impromptu arm rest, “Besides, it’s been business as usual for a long time now. A little variety is the spice of life.” 

“Not when our numbers are on the line it isn’t” She faced him now, looking two minutes away from pulling out her pink hair, “And what the hell is going on with the sky? Since when do games run at night? What, did the Composer just get bored or something?” 

“Don’t think so. Well, even if he was just bored, he wouldn’t do this. It’d be like a punk kid pulling the school fire alarm.” 

“So wait, you’ve seen this before?” 

“Once, yeah. It was years before you arrived,” the man then stood, stretching his wings and taking on a more serious look, “What we have here is a Lock Down Game. If the Composer decided to initiate this, it can only mean one thing: Something’s in Shibuya that doesn’t belong.” 

“Then why doesn’t the Composer just kick them back out? And that still doesn’t explain the dark.” 

“All intersection with the RG has been cut off, excepting the essentials. The night sky is just a side effect. As for kicking out, the Composer would’ve done so already if he could. The fact that he’s resorting to this fancy quarantine says that whatever broke in uninvited is too sneaky to just be tossed back out. Or too powerful. Most likely both.” 

“And we are still running a Game why?” 

“For more feet on the ground I reckon,” the man looked back down at the near empty streets below, dotted here and there with pairs of humans “Let them scour the player accessible areas while we cover everything else. I wouldn’t worry about having nothing to do; starting tomorrow we’re gonna have our hands full.” 

The woman breathed out through her nose, coming down from anger into resigned annoyance before giving her orange-haired partner a look, “So, who’s Game Master this time around?” 

“Oh there isn’t one. Since he’s heading the investigation, the Composer is handing out the missions himself.” 

“He do that the last time to?” she asked, tone disbelieving. 

“Nah, it was the Conductors job last time. But, seeing as we are without one for the moment- “ 

“Yeah, what is up with that?” she interrupted, “It’s been weeks. What’s taking him so dang long to decide?” 

“You’d have to ask him yourself,” The man said with a shrug “In the mean-time, lets grab a bite to eat. You still owe me from last time.” 

“How? You just said we were cut off from the RG.” 

“Yeah, but it wouldn’t be a proper game with all the stores closed. So long as the workers don’t mind some late night costumers, we’ll get fed just as easily as before. You coming?” 

The woman made to follow her partner as he stepped away from the building’s edge. Before they left, she cast one last glance over the night lights below, an unexpected chill passing through her as she went over what she had just been told. 

“Hate to think what would be strong enough to break into the UG.”


	2. Island Interlude

It was a beautiful evening on Destiny Islands. The sun was setting golden over the water, stars were starting to flicker to life in the coming night, and a gentle breeze offset the heat of the fading day just right. 

Riku hated it. 

He had liked it earlier. Welcomed it even. Now it was nothing more than salt in a very fresh wound. Almost mocking him as he trudged up the old, familiar Market street to the center of town, past empty weather-worn stalls with faded fabric roofs that only hinted at their past vibrant colors. 

Behind him trudged the entirety of the friends that had come to the Island that day, so quiet that only their footsteps had told Riku he was being followed; a stark contrast to the start of the day when they all had been rowdy and bright and bursting with questions about his island home. He chanced a look back over one shoulder, and immediately regretted it; turned out his spirit could sink lower still. Hayner, Pence and Olette, the kids from Twilight town, brough up the rear. The three stayed huddled together as they walked, only occasionally looking up and around at where they were going. Just a few steps ahead walked Donald and Goofy, the later looking back behind them over top the kids heads every once and a while with a worried frown. Terra, Aqua and Ven were next, also huddled close though not as close as the twilight kids. Aqua had a hand to her heart, and watched her feet more than the road ahead. Terra stayed close behind her, looking straight ahead and giving Riku a stiff nod when he caught him looking. Ven kept glancing around, not staying focused on one point for too long, and ended up stumbling once or twice before being caught and righted by his taller friends. As opposed to his doppelganger, Roxas kept his focus on just one thing: Xion. The two walked hand in hand, passing whispers back and forth that Riku didn’t listen into. Axel walked in front of them, with Isa at his right. Both looked straight ahead, but if they had noticed Riku’s look neither reacted to it. Mickey did react from his spot in the middle of the group, but Riku almost wished he hadn’t; the smile he sent hadn’t reached his eyes, and it only made him feel worse. At last there was Namine, who had stayed quiet near Roxas and Xion till she had caught him looking. She took a breath and jogged up to join him, looking up with sad blue eyes and speaking in a hushed voice. 

“Are you ok?” 

“As much as I can be,” Riku muttered back, “What about you?” 

“I…I’m not sure. I mean, I thought they would be mad. Instead they just looked…” 

“Defeated?” 

She nodded, eyes downcast, “And sad. So, so sad…is it wrong that I wish they had just gotten angry?” 

“No. I wish they had too.” 

Anger at least was active. A rally for things to be set straight. But that passive, silent sorrow that had come off of the adults he had known practically his whole life was enough to make Riku feel like he was drowning. 

They had just been told what had happened to their only son, and they already looked lost of all hope of him coming back. 

He once again swallowed down the lump in his throat. 

Namine was still watching him, her gaze telling him she saw more than he showed. Still he drew himself up and refocused on the sight ahead, “At least we only have to do this one more time.” 

Before them now stood a large open plaza. Well, large was generous; Riku had seen larger in all his travels. Still by Destiny Islands standards the space was generous, and fairly new. Even had a full cobblestone street to cover it, mismatched though it was. At the center stood a three-tiered planter, filled with seasonal flowers still in their buds. Three buildings were attached to the rounded space, all in different states of weather-worn, but Riku and the others destination was the one that sat near the plaza’s head, right next to the northern road. 

Two stories with a stone foundation, flowers kept nice and alive around the doorstep, and a bright red door. All in all, it looked like a good number of other houses on the island, if a little more spruced up. The biggest difference was the sign by the door: a slightly faded wood square reading “Town Hall” in gold lettering. Upon getting close enough to read it, Riku turned to address the others. 

“Everyone wait here. I’ll go in and break the news to them.” 

“By yourself? You sure?” Ven asked. 

“Yeah. A bunch of strangers crowding into their house isn’t going to help much. Just wait by the planter. I’ll be back in a minute.” 

He walked for the door, his own footsteps loud in his ears. Once in reach of the smooth, red wood, he knocked, ignoring the shiny brass knocker out of habit. Some shuffling from inside was his only warning before the door swung open, and Kairi’s mother stood before him. 

She was much unchanged from last he had seen her: same sun-tanned skin, same sun-bleached hair in the same simple pony tail, same sharp green eyes adept at spotting trouble. Only real difference was now she looked up to him, not the other way around. If that fact got to her she didn’t show it, smiling slightly as she wiped her hands with a dish towel, “Riku, hello. Back so soon? You three usually stay out after dark.” 

Fighting the urge to shift on his feet, Riku took a deep breath before forcing himself to keep eye contact. 

He was never in the habit of beating around bushes. 

“Mrs. Fujita, something happened on the beach. To Sora and Kairi.” 

One simple sentence, and the warmth snuffed out in the woman’s eyes. In an instant she straightened, then leaned around Riku to scan the crowd at the planter. She was quick about it, too quick, and Riku steeled himself for the brewing anger staring him down. 

_You’re a keyblade master now. You can handle this. Didn’t you just get done wishing for anger last time?_

“May I come in and explain?” 

Her jaw tightened, along with her grip on the dish towel. Still she stood aside and let him. He stood tall, looked forward, breathed deeply, anything to not feel like he was five years old all over again. 

The room that greeted him was a familiar sight; much like its mistress it had remained unchanged since Riku had seen it last. Homey, warm, spacious. Every free shelf stuffed with strange off-island nick-knacks and other odds and ends. Seated in the middle of it all was Destiny Islands mayor, leafing drowsily through some papers on the same square dining table Riku had always seen him at. As was tradition, he hadn’t noticed the extra person enter his house. Not until Mrs. Fujita cleared her throat with a pointed look. 

He jerked up, his glasses sliding slightly askew with the movement, and upon seeing Riku gave him his usual cheerful smile. 

“Ahh Riku.” The mayor greeted, fixing his glasses as he got to his feet, “You arrived just in time. Joan has just finished fixing dinner, so feel free to- “ 

“Takeshi,” Mrs. Fujita interrupted, stopping her husbands greeting short. Looking back at Riku she continued, “Go on. Tell him what you told me.” 

Looking back at the now confused grey eyes, Riku fought the urge to rush his words, “Mr. Fujita, something has happened to Kairi and Sora.” 

The mayor flinched, looked to his wife, then back to Riku, his earlier cheerful demeanor draining away. He ran a hand through his short, dark brown hair, then began waving Riku over to the far corner of the room, where sat a wicker sofa and two matching arm chairs “Here, come sit down. You look like you need to.” 

Ignoring the scoff from Mrs. Fujita, Riku walked over and took a chair, sitting straight as he could. The mayor followed close after, while his wife took a detour to the kitchen one room over. When she came over herself, she sat stiffly next to her husband on the sofa, her hands lacing together with his. The Mayor looked at Riku with a worry-tinged patience he wasn’t sure he deserved, and asked in that same calm, mild way he always had when he and his friends had gotten in trouble as kids. 

“First, before anything else, are you ok Riku?” 

“Yes,” Riku lied, “I’m not hurt.” _There, that’s true at least_

“Good, good. Now, start from the beginning: what happened to Kairi and Sora?” 

Riku closed his eyes for one last deep breath, and began as soon as they opened again, “We were hanging out on the childrens island, Sora, Kairi, all our friends. Just celebrating all of us making it back home. When the sun started setting, Sora and Kairi went off alone together- “ 

“And you didn’t go with them?” 

“I wanted to give them some space,” Riku continued, his fists curling on the armchair at Mrs. Fujita’s accusatory tone, “we’ve all been through a lot this past year. They weren’t even going far. Just to the paupou tree, the rest of us could see them from the beach. Then Sora…he just vanished. One minute he was there with Kairi, and the next he was gone.” 

Riku paused a moment at the memory. At watching his best friend fade away right in front of his eyes. The mayor’s eyes widened in contrast to his wife’s stony glare as he took a breath himself and asked, “Then what happened?” 

“We all started running for the tree. Climbed up to the bridge, got halfway across, but before we could reach her and asked what just happened…a portal opened up. Right in front of Kairi, out of nowhere, just this swirling mass of purple and white light. She ran through it and it closed up behind her. We haven’t seen her since.” 

There. It was out. For the second time that day, barely an hour since the first, and it was no easier than before. 

The Mayor said nothing, his devastated look speaking volumes on its own. His wife’s eyes narrowed, her hands tightened around his as she broke the silence, “So that’s it then? Kairi’s gone? Again? And you have no clue where she is?” 

“Not right now, but we will. My friends and I are going to find both her and Sora and bring them back.” 

“You mean those people outside. And just what makes you think those outsiders didn’t have something to do with it? Aren’t they the ones who tricked you three into leaving in the first place?” 

“Joan, there’s no need to- “ 

“There is every need, Takeshi!” She snapped, standing up and yanking her hands free, “Our baby is gone! Lost out in who knows where for the second time, and we’re supposed to what, just trust the outsiders had nothing to do with it?” 

“They’re not responsible,” Riku stood, fighting to keep his voice even and calm, “Kairi is their friend too, and they want her back just as much. Besides, none of us were tricked into anything. We chose to fight side-by-side with them, Kairi included.” 

“You say that,” Mrs. Fujita whipped back to look him dead in the eye, “but let me tell you that adults have many ways of tricking children into thinking- “ 

“We were not tricked!” Riku’s countered, composure wavering, “Do you really think Kairi is stupid enough to be deceived like that? That she would go through all the training and hard work she did because of a lie?” 

“We’re not saying that Riku,” the mayor said, getting up with a placating gesture to them both, “and I am sure that your friends meant no harm- “ 

“Takeshi, they put children in danger! Multiple children! With all those spares they have outside I’m shocked they even noticed our daughter was gone!” 

“Well at least now I know why Kairi left the first time without telling you!” 

Riku regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. Grasping at the frayed threads of his composure he tried frantically to stich them back into place, even as Mrs. Fujita turned her anger back on him. She started towards him, her husband grabbed her by the shoulders, and she made to shrug him off when the click and squeak of the front door swinging open interrupted them. All three looked over, and there stood Aqua, calm, collected and quiet despite the worry in her eyes as she shut the door behind her. 

“Is everything ok,” She asked, “We could hear you from outside.” 

“Excuse me but this is a private conversation,” Mrs. Fujita answered before Riku could, “And I don’t know about where you were raised young lady, but here we knock before entering strangers houses.” 

“I understand, and I apologize,” Aqua continued as she walked over, “But please, there is something I need to tell you.” 

“And what would that be?” 

“Something about Kairi.” 

Riku tensed, watched as the still angry mother stared down his fellow keyblade master, who kept respectful distance. When Mrs. Fujita gave a stiff nod, Aqua approached and began to speak. 

“I met Kairi once, years ago, when she was a little girl. She was living in a town called Radiant Garden. Some monsters had gone after her, and she ran to me for help. After I vanquished them, her grandmother came looking for her, and we said goodbye. But I still feared for her safety, feared that the monsters would come back. So, before she left, I placed a protective charm on the necklace she wore, so that she would be protected even in my absence,” Aqua smiled faintly at the memory, “she gave me the flowers she had with her in return.” 

Mrs. Fujita didn’t move, didn’t’ relax, didn’t even stop glaring. Still the edge to her seemed to dull, her shoulders lowering beneath her husbands hands ever so slightly, and when she did speak again, it was in a much-subdued tone. 

“This charm you speak of, it’s still there?” 

“Yes. Kairi was wearing that same necklace when she joined us, and I didn’t once see her take it off. So please: I won’t ask you not to worry. Be angry with us all if it helps. But know that wherever she is she is not without protection, and we will all be working to bring her home safely.” 

Mrs. Fujita let out a deep breath through her nose, looking down at the floor. She then took her leave, going up the stairs and out of sight. Remaining right where he was, Mr. Fujita watched her go with sad eyes before turning to look back at Riku and Aqua both. 

“Miss…” 

“Aqua, sir.” 

“Aqua yes. Lovely name. Do you and your friends have lodging for the night?” 

“I already talked to Mr. Cliff,” Riku answered, “He’s willing to rent them the attic room. And Sir? What I just said? I’m sorry. That wasn’t-” 

“Don’t worry about it Riku,” the mayor interrupted, “People say things they don’t mean when they’re angry, Joan included. Please try not to take what she says to heart, you did the right thing in telling us. And good thinking talking to Mr. Cliff already. Planning ahead as always.” 

The mayor removed his glasses and rubbed at his eyes. When he put them back, they looked no less watery than before. Still he soldiered on, “Well, in that case I should head upstairs. Neither of us should be alone right now I think. Thank you, Riku, for telling us about Kairi. I” he took another breath, “I know you will bring her and Sora back safely. You always were good at looking after them both.” 

The last word hit in a way the mayor didn’t intend; right at a long healed sore spot that had no business hurting now. Riku could only nod as Mr. Fujita followed his wife’s path upstairs. 

Nothing left to accomplish there, both he and Aqua headed for the door. 

“Sorry for getting you involved Aqua.” 

“I involved myself, so don’t worry about it. We should all help however we can.” 

Back outside, everyone else was still situated around the planter. A few had taken seats on the tiers while most simply stood with crossed arms or tapping feet. All looked up when Aqua and Riku emerged from the house, all stayed quiet as they approached. When they had stopped and stood a moment, Olette asked the only question that could come next. 

“So, what now?” 

“We figure out how to get our friends back,” Terra answered, “If anyone here has any ideas of how, let’s hear it.” 

“Wait,” Riku said before he could stop himself, “Maybe hold off on that.” 

All eyes turned to him and he rushed to clarify, “Just until tomorrow. The sun’s almost set and none of you know the area well enough to find your way in the dark.” 

It was true; the shadows of night had grown in the short time Riku was in the mayors house. And making their way would be easier with at least a little light. Those alone were good reasons, and no probing looks from the others would make Riku dig deeper. He was already tired enough. 

Luckily, the only response was a question from Hayner as he jumped down from his perch on the top tier of the planter, “What, you guys don’t have street lamps or anything?” 

“The older islanders won’t have it,” Riku said with a mirthless grin, “Would accuse everyone of thinking they’re too good to carry a lantern. Come on; we can make it before sundown if we start heading over now.” 

Riku turned, ignoring the look that Terra gave him, and started taking the path leading left past the mayors house. Footsteps followed after him before he had completely passed the building, and he did his best to ignore the light in the upstairs window. 

The road to the Tavern was much unchanged. The cobblestones of the plaza thinned out into solid dirt, packed hard from season after season of fishermen stamping it flat on their way to get their end-of-day drinks. The grass itself was as tall as ever, brushing up against Riku’s ankles as he walked, easily dodging the odd rock and dirt clod that had found its way to the road. The more they walked the lower the sun sank, till it disappeared beneath the distant waves just in time for the Elsewhere Tavern to come into view, sticking out of the grass like a beached ship. Light glowed warm and bright from the large front window, and familiar chatter wafted through the open door. 

“The man behind the counter inside is Mr. Cliff,” Riku said to the others as they gathered in the limited light, some letting conjured magic fire flicker out as they did, “Just say you’re my friends and he’ll set you up in the attic. Its already paid for so don’t worry about munny.” 

“You’re not coming?” 

“My house isn’t far. Don’t worry Namine, I’ll be fine. You all just go get some rest.” 

With that, the group said their goodnights and went one by one in from the dark. Mickey asked one last time if he was ok. One last time Riku said yes, and held what he hoped was a reassuring look till the small king had gone inside and joined a despondent Donald and Goofy at the counter. That left only Terra and aqua left outside, the former coming first up to Riku and laying a hand on one shoulder,“You will sleep tonight? You need it just as much as we do.” 

“Of course.” 

“Just making sure. We’ll meet up at the shore tomorrow?” 

Riku nodded, and Terra gave his shoulder a squeeze before stepping back and heading inside. Aqua made to follow, stopping at the doorway when Riku called out to her. 

“Yes?” She asked, almost glowing from the light at her back. 

“Back at the Mayors house, what you said to Mrs. Fujita about Kairi’s necklace, was that true?” 

She looked off to the side, “I did place a charm on it. And It did protect her. But whether it’s still holding to this day, that I am unsure of.” 

“Then why lie?” 

“She just lost her daughter, for the second time,” Aqua looked up with a melancholy glance, “If belief in a magic charm will give her the hope she needs, I would gladly give it.” 

“And if she finds out you lied?” 

“Then I will take the consequences. Until then, let’s get both Kairi and Sora home before that happens.” 

She turned back to the door way, cast one last look over her shoulder for a final “Goodnight” and headed inside. For a moment, Riku watched her join Terra at the bar, and the pair of them watched as Ven talked with an old regular sitting at the opposite end balancing a rickety violin on one knee. 

And as he left to face the walk home, a song from his grandparents childhood followed from the tavern, squeaking out from old Mr. Gilberts violin. 

It was nice to hear that old fisherman could still carry a tune. 

With that he turned and walked off, taking the beaten road towards home, and only dropping his smile once he was out of sight of the glowing tavern light. 

As he walked the old familiar path, feeling the dip in the dirt where the rain puddles would gather, dodging on instinct the broken sign post that still went unfixed and overgrown with weeds, and catching the scarce moonlight reflecting off the passing windows of scattered homes, he could almost believe that the last few years hadn’t happened. That it was all some wild dream he had woken up from and now was going home to get some real sleep. Kairi would be back at her house, Sora running the opposite direction of Rikus path to his own home, all of them promising to meet up the same time tomorrow. Even as he reached his house, shimming up the same old tree to his same old balcony, it felt no different from hundreds of other nights coming home after a full day of fun and mischief. He pulled off his shoes, flung the covers aside on his bed, lay down, and felt his feet dangle off the end. 

Just like that the spell was broken, as Riku groaned and turned to bury his head in his pillow, in a bed that could no longer hold him. 

At least it didn’t take long for him to fall asleep.


End file.
